


hunting nine

by nonbinarywithaknife (littleboxes)



Series: me sobbing about critical role [108]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Minific, What-If, disguises, information gathering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-06 06:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20286823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleboxes/pseuds/nonbinarywithaknife
Summary: Astrid finds a gnome in bar telling stories.





	hunting nine

Astrid walks into the grimy pub casually- her target should be here, given the rough schedule she has mapped out after a few weeks of subtle tracking. While there were no indicators of the gnome’s skill in combat being especially high, it’s better safe than sorry.

Astrid doesn’t bother smoothing down her outfit as she walks to a bar stool- she looks like any other rumpled dock worker coming in to grab a drink, and that’s what she needs right now. She spots the gnome immediately, and makes sure to place herself just the right distance away. Not too close, but not far enough away to be unapproachable. If she’s done her research correctly, which she has, they’ll be talking soon enough. 

She imagines the reactions of the people around her to a hyperactive gnome of indeterminate age walking around telling stories about killing dragons on the sea with people called “The Mighty Nine.” 

If not for those three words, Astrid likely would’ve dismissed the talk as nothing but the product of over imaginative drunkards, but- the Mighty Nine?

_ That  _ was a name on her radar. That was the name of her quarry. She’d traced their movements across Wildemount, but she’d been stymied at Nicodranas- the docks, specifically. It was obvious, once you looked, that they’d stolen a ship, although she’d been getting conflicting reports as to the details of that particular event: a fire on the docks, a tielfing woman’s apparent suicide, several murders and a possible accidental drowning, not to  _ mention _ the ship they’d stolen was suspected of piracy and smuggling. It’s impossible to know if that was  _ why _ they’d stolen it, or if it was  _ in spite _ of that. 

A disaster.

Yet here was a gnome who would be filling in quite a few blanks for Astrid quite soon- in fact, she was heading Astrid’s way now. 

“Hi!” the gnome greets her, waving excitedly, “I’m Twiggy! Would you like to meet my squirrel?”

“Of course,” Astrid replies, giving Twiggy a friendly smile. She listens attentively, as apparently that’s all Twiggy needs to chatter on. She makes mental notes of any information that could be useful, only piping in occasionally to assure Twiggy she’s paying attention. Whatever the “happy fun ball” is, the fact that is so versatile could be incredibly useful, not to mention, dangerous. Who knows what he Mighty Nine are planning with it. 

It’s been twenty minutes, and Astrid doubts she’ll get anything more from Twiggy. She stands, and nods to the gnome. 

“As entertaining as this has been, I’m afraid I have to get back to work. Perhaps I’ll see you around… Twiggy.”

“Oh, of course, bye! See you later!”

As Astrid leaves the bar, lets herself smirk. It really is too easy. 


End file.
